A visit to Etosha National Park, Namibia

Namibia, the latest African country to gain independence, is a magical place for photographers, particularly Nature photographers. Located in the southern part of the African continent, wedged between Angola to the North, Botswana to the East, the Republic of South Africa to the South, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West, it is a country rich in natural wonders. One of its brightest jewels is the Etosha National Park.

The American visitor to Namibia arrives in Windhoek, its capital, early in the morning, after a 24 hour journey with a stop over in either Europe or South America. Exhausted, but energized by the arrival, the avid photographer quickly rents a combi, better known to us as a minibus, and heads north to the open terrain of the Etosha National Park.

The Etosha Pan is a flat, dry depression geologists have determined was an inland lake, fed by a large river, that covered a territory the size of Holland. About a million years ago, the river changed its course and the lake dried up to become the sterile dessert plain it is today. Every spring, water run off from Angola moves south and fills the Pan, generally to a depth of less than 3 feet.

On March 22, 1907, the region to the South, West and Northwest of the Etosha Pan was declared a game reserve and the Etosha National Park was created. It covers 22,270 sq. km., has an average height above sea level of 1,000 meters, and is located approximately 450 kilometers north of Windhoek.

The geological map of the Etosha National Park shows a huge calcareous sand and gravel area more than 150 feet deep extending over most of the park, including the Pan. The Nature Conservation and Tourism Division divided the park's habitats into 21 veld (field) types. These can be broadly grouped into nine major vegetation types. The book Trees and Shrubs of the Etosha National Park by Cornelia Berry lists close to 100 known plant families that can be found in the park, each one represented by several different species.

The main attraction in Etosha is the abundant wildlife freely living within its boundaries. The park is dotted with natural and man made waterholes, and all the animals sooner or later must come to them. The natural waterholes are classified into three different types. About the best game watching and photography in the world can be done by just sitting by a waterhole in Etosha.

Some animals, such as lion and steenbok can always be found in specific areas or home ranges. Others lead a nomadic life, searching for better grazing, while still others follow yearly migration patterns.

Life at the waterhole is governed by the presence or absence of predators and other large mammals. Each animal approaches the waterhole in a different fashion.

Watching a herd of elephants at a waterhole is an unforgettable experience. The elephant herd approaches, and all other creatures make way for it. After a herd of elephant takes possession of the waterhole, they proceed to drink, bathe, frolic, splash around like children, socialize, and finally, dust themselves as protection from biting insects. When the elephants leave, all the creatures that were displaced return, until a predator approaches.

A sure sign of lions near the waterhole is the grouping of large herds of zebras, springbok, and other ungulates nervously waiting to come in for a drink. They stand at a distance, sniff the air, approach and retreat, repeat the process several times, until at last, a few brave individuals come close to the water. If the coast is clear, the rest of the herd approaches. If it is not, the placid scene becomes a whirl of activity as the lions try to catch their next meal. The same pattern is followed when any predator is near the waterhole. The success rate of the hunter varies with the species, but most of the time, the prey gets away.

Among the most impressive inhabitants of the park is the Greater Kudu. The bulls have beautiful spiral horns which are sometimes used with deadly results when fighting over a cow. Also impressive, but not because of its size but because of its delicacy, is the Damara Dik-Dik. It is the smallest antelope in Namibia, about the size of a house cat. The Dik-Dik lives in pairs in a well defined wooded territory and is preyed upon by many, particularly leopards.

Most elusive and beautiful, the leopard is a rare find. Occasionally moving around during daylight hours, the visitor needs a lot of patience and luck to see one. Sighting a leopard in the woods or walking towards a waterhole gets the photographer's adrenalin and camera shutter going at high speed.

Eagles are abundant in the park. The Bateleur Eagle is a striking bird, with a bright red face and feet, black, white and brown feathers, and a distinctive flight pattern. Other raptors include Marial and Tawny eagles, Pale Chanting Goshawks, and lappet-faced, white backed and Egyptian vultures.

Less glamorous, but not less important to the ecology of the park, are the hundreds of species of smaller mammals, birds and reptiles making their home in Etosha. From the side-striped ground squirrels to the sociable weavers, they all have a place in the park.

In order to safely enjoy the riches of the park, the visitor is governed by a set of rules, strictly enforced, designed to prevent any situation dangerous to the visitor or to the wildlife. There are three rest camps, each with a different character and atmosphere, and all three should be visited. The facilities are fenced in and the visitor is required to be in camp between sunset and sunrise, when the gates are closed.

Namutoni, the easternmost camp, is built at the site of an old German fort. Before the fort was built, the soliders stationed in Namutoni during the late 1800's served, along with the Okaukuejo garrison to the west, to contain an outbreak of cattle plague in the area. After the plague was controlled, Namutoni remained a post for the supervision of trade with the Ovambo tribe.

The first Fort at Namutoni was completed at the end of 1903 and consisted of six rooms for a garrison of six to eight soldiers. On January 28, 1904, 500 armed Ovambo tribesmen attacked the fort. Five German soldiers and two settlers defended the fort during the day, and withdrew from the fort under cover of darkness. The Ovambo then destroyed the fort and took all the supplies and cattle the garrison had to leave behind. From 1905 to 1906 the fort was redesigned and built in its present form. It then served for many years as a police station and was eventually abandoned.

On February 15, 1950, the government declared Namutoni a historical monument and reconstruction of the fort began. The original plans of the last fort remained undiscovered until 1956 when they were found and used as the basis for the restoration. In 1957, Fort Namutoni opened its gates to tourists. Visitors can now spend the night within the walls of the fort.

The Namibian flag is raised and lowered every day from the observation tower in a solemn ceremony performed by a Park Ranger to the strains of the Namibian national anthem. These ceremonies signal the beginning and the end of the photographic day.

Okaukuejo is westernmost camp, located near the center of the park, and serves as its administrative center. In 1901 it was a German fort, later razed, served as a border post. The only reminder of its military past is the reconstructed observation tower, standing tall at the entrance to the camp.

Okaukuejo has an active waterhole, brightly lit at night, as its center of interest. Elephant and rhino are frequent evening visitors. At night, as you walk from your bungalow to the restaurant and waterhole, you are accompanied by the resident black backed jackals, who have become expert thiefs of unattended braais or barbecues.

Halali, the newest camp, is located halfway between Namutoni and Okaukuejo. The landscape in this area is dominated by two koppies or hills where the rare African Moringa tress grow.

Etosha will be the next "discovery" of the well travelled photographer. He or she can use one of the local tour companies to drive and guide him through the park. Better still, he can rent a vehicle and have the freedom of coming and going on his own schedule. For those who want the best of all worlds, and are willing to pay for it, some tour companies can arrange a private safari with a driver-guide at their disposal.

One final warning, no matter how much film you take with you, you will use it all up, and then some.

COPYRIGHT 1992 Photographic Society of America, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group